Undoing Ontario Place

In light of the provincial government's controversial plans for the site, The Future of Ontario Place project launched a call for counterproposals in September 2020.

Our proposal was unsentimental, yet fundamentally inspired by the unusual nature of the constructed island-scape.

Taking inspiration from the ever-changing forms and rich ecologies of the nearby Leslie Street Spit, we sought to revive Ontario Place by stripping it down to what it already is: a rubble-scape; ruins; nature taking over. An unexpected hotbed of biodiversity.

First we introduced a new layer of exposed rubble to the islands, with new connections to the mainland.

Then we reworked the buildings. The glazed "pods", presently underused, were skinned and left as skeletons - inhabitable ruins. The amphitheater was rebuilt, channeling the spirit of the original simpler design. The collections of hut-like structures were cast in concrete, becoming strange geometric landforms. Key buildings like the cinesphere were preserved as diamonds in the rough.

Finally we inserted a new armature of circulation in the form of a multifunctional elevated path - expanding access and bringing a renewed sense of movement to the ever-changing landscape.